Best of the west: How the suburbs rank

Every city and town has its boosters. But when outsiders crunch the data and single out Hopkinton for its high school, Newton for its singles life, Westborough for its beer, we stand up and take notice. With each new Top 10 list, communities west of Boston gain more statewide and national recognition. But do the rankings get it right?
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The annual list ranked Acton, Medway, Northborough, and Wrentham among the top cities and towns along I-495, based on information from realtors, residents, and town officials.

Acton’s diverse population led the magazine to describe it as “a suburban town with a global vibe.” The Acton Chinese Language School holds classes ranging from ASL to watercolor.
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Michelle Sheppard/Worcester Tele

Northborough’s Wegmans grocery store, which opened in October 2011, put it on Boston magazine’s top cities and towns list, while Medway stood out because, there, “sustainability is a way of life.”
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Brian Feulner for the Boston Globe

Boston magazine called Wrentham “the little town that could,” thanks to King Philip High School‘s extracurricular programs, “blockbuster” music program, and strong sports teams.

Joseph Johnston of the King Philip Warriors scored the first touchdown during a game against the Medfield Warriors.
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If you’re into fashion, forget New York City. GQ magazine argued last week that Natick should be America’s fashion capital, with its United States Army Soldier Systems Center designing and producing the US military apparel that has sparked countless civilian fashion trends.

A model of Army soldier gear developed by Natick’s Soldier Systems Center.
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John Kennard

Historical sites 2012, Lonely Planet

Want to live surrounded by the past? Concord gets points from Lonely Planet for its historic houses.

Hopkinton, where the Boston Marathon begins every year, had 30.2 runners per 10,000 residents this year, a rate higher than any other community. Southborough, Wellesley, and Carlisle also had strong turnouts, while Brookline trailed only Boston and Cambridge in total number of runners with 121.
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Brookline, the first community to ban trans fats in restaurants, has the lowest rate of obesity in the western suburbs, according to data collected by the Department of Public Health. The city is also known for its walkability.

Dover’s average teaching salary in 2011 was the state’s highest, at $92,765, with Sherborn, Concord-Carlisle, Newton, and Northborough-Southborough close behind, according to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
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Aram Boghosian for The Boston Globe

State championships

Settling in the Lincoln-Sudbury, Newton North, Acton-Boxborough, or Concord-Carlisle districts may be a good idea if your student loves sports, as they have won the most state championships since 2010, according to data from the MIAA.

Lincoln-Sudbury players after winning their Division 1 Championship game in 2011.
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RateBeer recently ranked Julio’s Liquors of Westborough as one of this year’s best beer retailers in the world. Julio’s was the only retailer from Massachusetts on the list, and ranked seventh in the US as a whole.
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Josh Reynolds for the Boston Globe

Best burger 2012, the Boston Burger Blogger

If you want a burger, head over to Strip-T’s in Watertown, which has the best burgers around according to Richard Chudy, the Boston Burger Blogger. Still not convinced? Strip-T’s chef, Tim Maslow (left with his father, Paul) came in as Boston magazine’s best up-and-coming chef this year too.
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Anthony Tieuli

Best sandwiches 2012, Boston magazine

Boston magazine chose Cutty’s, whose selection of breads, meats, and fixings make it the best place for sandwiches. For vegetarians, Urbanspoon reviewers have you covered: Brookline is also home to Khao Sarn, which apparently has the best vegetarian cuisine near Boston.
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Carlisle, Concord, and Lincoln are among the state’s top 10 towns whose residents drive alternative fuel cars and Brookline residents averaged a mere 24.2 daily miles per household between 2005 and 2007, the lowest in the region.
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Courtesy of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council

Regional Bike Rack Program

Local communities also dominated the 2010 MAPC list of most orders from the Regional Bike Rack Program. Bolton, Sharon, Wellesley, Sherborn, Carlisle, and Concord all bought the greatest number of racks per resident, while Newton bought the third most racks of any municipality, behind Boston and Cambridge (left).
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Barry Chin/Globe Staff

Sustainability

Not to be outdone, Needham boasts the area’s highest recycling and composting rate at over 50 percent. Wellesley, too, was named the state’s first Green Power Community this year.

Do you like great horned owls? Then Belmont’s Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary is the place to be, and the Stony Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Norfolk (left) is great for “using all your senses.”
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Mass Audubon

Best walking trails 2012, Mass Audubon

Kids will love the Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln, but Natick’s Broadmoor Wildlife Santuary might be better for pushing strollers. And if you’ve ever had the desire to smell a sassafras leaf, Hopkinton’s Waseeka Wildlife Sanctuary has enough to satisfy your nose’s biggest craving.
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